How Vitamin B2 & UVA Light Can Strengthen Your Cornea

The combination of riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops and ultraviolet A light applied to the eyes can make a positive impact on the vision of patients who have bulging corneas (keratoconus).

How Keratoconus Affects Vision

The primary reason people get keratoconus is because their corneas are naturally weak and unable to maintain a normal dome shape. When the eyes take on a more outward cone shape, vision becomes blurry and the eyes can be very sensitive and irritated. Normal activities like reading text messages, watching TV or driving become increasingly difficult to perform as the condition progresses over many years – 10-20 years for some people.

CXL is FDA-Approved

This unique combination of riboflavin and UVA light has been clinically shown to strengthen the cornea by increasing the amount of anchors that allow collagen fibers in the cornea to stay together. The result? Improved vision.

Scientists have given this process the name of corneal cross-linking (CXL). Since the FDA approval of CXL in 2016, our Buffalo keratoconus specialists have extensively reviewed the process and results, finding the treatment to be worthy of being offered as a service at Atwal Eye Care / Buffalo Eye Care Associates. We now offer corneal cross-linking (CXL) in Buffalo to treat keratoconus in teenagers and adults.

The treatment is relatively simple and takes just 60-90 minutes to perform in our office. While vision improvement is not immediate (in fact vision may become slightly worse for a couple of weeks before it improves), over time the cornea may strengthen enough to prevent the need for a more serious and extensive corneal transplant procedure in the future.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with keratoconus or is experiencing vision difficulties, contact our corneal cross-linking specialists in Buffalo to schedule an eye exam today.